By Fisayo Akinduro

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In a bid to ensure the safety of lives and property, Ondo State government said it would commence Passenger Safety Insurance Scheme on Wednesday, June 1.

The Safety Insurance Scheme was aimed at ensuring residents’ safety while boarding vehicles in the state.

The government said over 1000 commercial vehicles have been registered with the state government.

This is just as commercial drivers commended the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over the enforcement of commercial vehicles’ registration in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport, Mr. Tobi Ogunleye and Permanent Secretary, State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Abiodun Akinseloyin disclosed these while speaking with journalists.

Ogunleye said the Safety Insurance Policy which had earlier been introduced by the Akeredolu’s administration was put on hold for some reasons.

Ogunleye said the scheme was designed to cater for the safety of travellers in the state, explaining that the scheme will help passengers have access to quality and immediate healthcare services in case of eventualities.

He stated that it would also help to ensure the safety of lives of travellers as it would put an end to roadside boarding.

He noted that the programme was not to generate revenue but to safeguard the lives of the citizens in the state at a critical time like this where there are cases of kidnapping and ritual killings.

He urged all and sundry to always patronize government accredited parks as well as supply correct information about themselves in the travellers’ manifest given to them.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Abiodun Akinseloyin said the essence of the registration was to ensure the security of the people, so that they don’t board wrong vehicles where they will take them to unintended destination.

Speaking about the processes of registering a vehicle, Akinseloyin said drivers come to SITA for capturing and registration and would be given number of identification and ID card.

He said these would show that the taxis are registered and permitted to operate in the state.

The PS said since the last count, over 1000 commercial vehicles have been registered with the state government.

The drivers while speaking with The Hope commended the initiative, saying it will separate them from fraudsters and kidnappers parading themselves as taxi drivers.

Joshua Olosunde, a taxi driver within Akure metropolis said it’s a welcome development as it would safeguard the lives of citizens and residents of the state.

“This development will help those that forget their property inside taxis as it would make it easy for them to identify it using the registration number.”

Also speaking, Bello Michael while commending the government, enjoined other commercial drivers to key into the initiative before they are being apprehended by security agents in the state.